
Heathens Film Screening
November 15, 2026 · 11 AM – 12:30 PM
Center for Inquiry West, 2535 W Temple St, Los Angeles · $10 ·
Keep your plans in one place. Free account.
The Center for Inquiry West screens the documentary Heathens, about five Americans who privately reject the religion they were raised in and build a friendship at a secluded retreat.
AI summary · From the event listing
For our Feed Your Brain event Sunday, November 15, CFI West will screen the film Heathens, a new documentary from David Cowan and Shawn Hardin. Five Americans arrive as strangers at a secluded retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains — many without their families' knowledge — seeking respite from the guilt, shame, fear, and loneliness of hiding who they are. Each has quietly rejected the religion that raised them, now fearing the cost of honesty: family, security, livelihood. They are not alone. Over 80 million American adults hide their religious disbelief or exaggerate their faith. By the end of the weekend, the five non-believers resolve to reclaim their lives, forging a friendship that carries them through the storms awaiting them back home. In this warm, funny, and unexpectedly joyful story, they rebuild community, inspired by the gospel music of home, reclaiming the slur “heathen” as a proud new identity. For the first time in their lives, five Heathens discover who they truly are. "I found it moving, even shocking." Richard Dawkins "…a powerful new documentary that explores the hidden world of Americans who privately question the faith they were raised in." SMARTCINE “A documentary that is fierce about politics but tender about people." FILMYBUFF David Cowan is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and science philanthropist whose work explores the intersection of belief, truth, and discovery.
Echo Park
Hosted by The Greater L.A. Skeptics Meetup Group
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